Dear PSASA Members and Community,
It is with profound sadness that I share the news of the passing of one of our own, Robyn Zaaiman. Robyn, our beloved administrator and assistant, departed from us on the morning of Friday, February 16th, due to complications from stomach pain. When the news reached me, I had the opportunity to speak with Robyn’s mother, Carrol, on Saturday to convey our heartfelt condolences.
Robyn’s sudden departure has left us all in shock and deep sorrow. She was an integral part of our community, and her presence will be deeply missed. In this difficult time, I urge each of us to remember Robyn fondly and to offer support to one another as we navigate through this loss.
As we mourn the passing of Robyn, I want to reassure you that all communication regarding PSASA matters will be handled directly by myself and the Presidential Leadership Team (PLT) as we outline a clear path forward from a PSASA standpoint. Please note that the admin email will continue to operate as usual and will be handled by Ilze Adams until further notice. All communications you would usually send to this address and to Robyn should continue as per norm.
In the meantime, let us honour Robyn’s memory by cherishing the time we shared with her and by extending kindness and support to one another. Together, we will find strength in unity as we navigate through this challenging time.
Please feel free to reach out if you need support or have any questions. Let us keep Robyn and her family in our thoughts and prayers.
With deepest sympathy,
Tsitsi Mutendi PSASA president
Charlotte Kemp: One of the tragedies of an unexpected death is the undeniable realisation that there can never been any more communication with that person. When I was told about Robyn’s sudden passing, the first thing I did was to go to my messages and reread our last communication.
Robyn was simply wonderful. Uncomplicated, unpretentious, friendly and helpful and an absolute pleasure to work with. Robyn Zaaiman has been the quiet voice behind PSASA for many years. She has managed all the regular work that an association like ours generates, as well as our conventions, projects, communications, stressful issues and more. She has adapted to work with different presidents with different communication styles and did all of that, always, with her calm and efficient manner, never bringing her burdens to us, but coping with ours every time.
I wish we all had got to know Robyn better. I almost wish she had brought her troubles to our attention because now I feel a little poorer, not just for her loss, but also because there was so much more we didn’t know about her. Our condolences are extended to Robyn’s mom, Carol and to Robyn’s beloved dogs who were her patient companions while they waited for her to finish her work and take them for a walk.
Robyn will be missed and remembered and cherished in those memories.
Bruce Wade: I had the privilege of working with Robyn whilst I served on the Exco. During my year as Association President, I met with Robyn every Monday morning for a check-in and chat. We got to know each other, and she shared a lot more than just the PSASA items on my agenda.
She was a cornerstone of our association and will be sorely missed for a long time.
It is my hope that as we scramble to keep all the ducks in a row, we will take time to remember her and all she did for us all. We will miss her.
